Analysis Of A Good Man Is Hard To Find By Flannery O Connor

Flannery O’Connor’s piece “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” follows the story of a southern family through their vacation to Florida. Though the vacation seems to be an outwardly average trip, a much deeper and real journey takes place inside the lives of each family member. Throughout the story, the ideals of good and evil are presented in the characterization of many of the main characters. To the average reader, these specific characterizations are seemingly easy to identify in each character. Although, there is a deeper understanding about what consists as “good” or “evil.” A major theme in the story “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” relates to the good and evil consisting in each character and the situations and abilities presented that encourage them to define the realities in both.
To the audience, the Grandmother is seen as one of the “good” characters. Throughout most of the story, she is portrayed as the excessive but moral grandmother who loves her family. Although, many of her actions described throughout the story, prove this to be wrong. The Grandmother classifies herself as having the best values in her family. She always presents herself excessively and proudly. Although the children’s mother was still wearing her

When Bobby Lee suggests that it must have been enjoyable for him to have shot the Grandmother, he replies that “it’s no real pleasure” (O’Connor 366). Although he does not enjoy killing people, he knows that it must be done for him to stick with the moral code he has dedicated his life too. He also begins to understand the goodness of the family. After killing the family, he was described as “his eyes were red-rimmed and pale and defenseless-looking” (O’Connor 366). He recognized the love that was shared by the family. As his characterization progresses, it can be learned that even though someone is presented as evil, there can always be good found